Walt Cunningham Seeks To Inspire At MLK Day Assembly

Walt Cunningham speaks at Hanover High's Martin Luther King Jr. Day Assembly. Picture credit: Sophie Dunn ('18) of "Humans of Hanover High". Reprinted with permission.

Walt Cunningham speaks at Hanover High’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Assembly. Picture credit: Sophie Dunn (’18) of “Humans of Hanover High”. Reprinted with permission.

“No ethnicity owns an activity.”

Two weeks ago,  Walt Cunningham, the Artistic Director of Dartmouth College’s Gospel Choir, came to HHS to talk about cognitive bias and the positive factors of living among great diversity.

Cunningham’s words were simple yet influential. He urged students to rise above their seats and stand. He persuaded each one who rose to introduce themselves and recite their names. He allowed another student to name their dream.  He even allowed one student to roast their Spanish teacher. But most importantly, Cunningham let the students say what they wanted and how they felt.

For those who made the whim decision to skip the assembly that honored Martin Luther King Jr., worry not: even your parents have made mistakes. The opportunity to hear Walt Cunningham’s address confirmed that the assemblage just happened to be unconditionally inspiring.

Cunningham continued to praise MLK, with well-picked quotes that were representative of the racial bias in this world. There was a wisdom in his speech. A wisdom that MLK had once brought to light: beliefs that symbolized a safe future. Not just for one, but for all.

The well-known activist, Martin Luther King Junior, was a theme of the assembly. He was one who sparked a movement that still lives today, one that will continue to flourish and influence the ideals of equality between every race, religion, gender, and age.

 

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